Platt Kodama, one way deal among Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka by the Shinkansen

Rail pass for residents
2016.11.05
Shinkansen is the high speed train service in Japan. Kodama is the slowest train on Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen line.
Shinkansen is the high speed train service in Japan. Kodama is the slowest train on Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen line.

When you move among Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka, you may think to take the Shinkansen (a.k.a. bullet train). If you have a round trip between Tokyo and Kyoto/Shin-Osaka, JR pass is the best choice. But even 7 days JR pass price is almost equal to the round trip fare and the seat fee of the Shinkansen between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. JR pass is not the best choice for one way movement.

Platt Kodama may be the solution for the traveler who make only one way trip from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka (or versa). Because it is a sort of the Shinkansen one way trip discount ticket among Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka.

I would like to show you this ticket in this post.

What is Kodama?

Before I explain this deal, I want to tell you about Kodama.

The Shinkansen runs on the exclusive track. The Shinkansen trains does not share the track with any conventional local commute trains and other conventional express trains. But on the Tokaido Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka, there are three types of trains running, Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama. These three trains look exactly same and offers exactly same interior. The only difference is the trip time and stop stations. Kodama is the slowest train and make stops at all stations.

Please read the link below to learn more about the Tokaido Shinkansen.

The Tokaido, the Sanyo and the Kyushu Shinkansen (Bullet Train) train ride guide. Most popular train between Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata and Kagoshima.
This Shinkansen ride guide gives you all information about the Shinkansen between Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata, Kumamoto and Kagoshima in this post.
jprail.com
2014.05.27

So if you use this deal, you have to accept the extra trip time. You cannot take the fastest train.

What is Platt Kodama?

Platt Kodama is a sort of the discount tickets for taking Kodama only among the stations between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka, such as Shinagawa, Shin-Yokohama, Shizuoka, Hamamatsu, Nagoya and Kyoto. This deal is not available further than Shin-Osaka to west destination, such as Okayama, Hiroshima and Hakata.

Kodama is the slowest Shinkansen train and the trip time is much longer than Nozomi and Hikari. But you can get the lower rate than the regular fare.

I mentioned that Platt Kodama is a sort of the discount tickets. But technically this is not a ticket but a package tour product. You cannot purchase this at the ticket window in JR stations. You have to go to JR Tokai Tours that is JR Central’s travel agent.

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Sales location

You may find the location of JR Tokai Tours office in Tokyo, Shin-Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka at the link below:

JR Tokai Tours official site

Condition of use

There are several conditions. When you use Platt Kodama, please understand these conditions before you use purchase this deal.

  • Must purchase it be the day before you use. You cannot buy it on the travel date.
  • Fixed trip plan. You have to take the train that is shown on the ticket. You cannot take any other trains.
  • Seat assigned. You cannot use any other seat and cannot change the seat.
  • No stopover allowed. Once you get off the train, your ticket is expired.
  • No trip plan changed. You cannot change the trip plan and refund without handling charge.

Please find the detailed information in the link below:

Platt Kodama, Guidance of Plans (PDF file)

And you will receive a drink voucher. You can get a free drink at Kiosk before on board. And also if you add 1,000 yen for Tokyo to/from Nagoya, 1,500 yen Tokyo to/from Shin-Osaka or Kyoto, you can take Green seat.

Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen 700 series. These seat configuration are the standard on Shinkansen. Green (left) and Ordinary (right
Green (left) and Ordinary (right)

Green seat is much more spacious and very comfortable.

Compare Kodama, Hikari and Nozomi in the trip time

Please see the Tokaido Shinkansen timetable in the link below:

JR Central official site – The Tokaido and the Sanyo Shinkansen timetable

I have picked up three trains in early morning. (The timetable is varied by the season.)
Please find those trains below in the timetable.

Train nameTokyoNagoyaKyotoShin-Osaka
K633
(Kodama 633)		06:5609:4810:4611:00
N203
(Nozomi 203)		07:0008:4209:1909:33
H461
(Hikari 461)		07:0309:1109:4910:05

As you see, Nozomi is 1.5 hours faster than Kodama if you travel from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka. Even Hikari is 1 hour faster than Kodama. But one way trip traveler does not pick up Hikari because it is slower than Nozomi. If you use JR pass, Hikari is a primary choice but I cannot find any reasons why one way traveler use Hikari.

Compare Platt Kodama and the regular fare

You can find the price comparison between Kodama single fare and Platt Kodama in the official site. But I would like to show you the fare comparison between Nozomi regular fare and Platt Kodama. As you see, if you take Kodama, you will spend 1.5 hours extra for Tokyo to/from Kyoto or Shin-Osaka. I think you want to know how much you can save to give up 1.5 extra hours.

SegmentRegular fare
for Nozomi		Platt KodamaYour saving
Tokyo to/from Shin-Osaka14,720 yen10,700 yen4,020 yen
Tokyo to/from Kyoto14,170 yen10,500 yen3,670 yen
Tokyo to/from Nagoya11,300 yen8,500 yen2,800 yen
Nagoya to/from Shin-Osaka6,680 yen4,500 yen2,180 yen
Nagoya to/from Kyoto5,910 yen4,400 yen1,510 yen

*These above rates and prices are regular season rates. Rates and prices are varied by season. You can find the complete price table of Platt Kodama in the official site. Nozomi regular rate is also varied by the season. And the seasonality of Nozomi regular rate is different from the seasonality of Platt Kodama. Approximate seasonality of Nozomi is the following:

Peak seasonSpring break (late March to early April)
Golden Week (late April to early May)
Summer break (late July to late August)
Winter break (late December to early January)
Shoulder seasonAll days except weekend and holiday in the following period:
from mid January to February
June
September
November to mid December

The periods are adjusted in each year. You can find the exact fare of Nozomi at Hyperdia. Hyperdia complete guide

Assessment

I would like to show you extra time and saving cost again.

Tokyo to/from Shin-Osaka 4,020 yen for 1.5 hours
Tokyo to/from Kyoto 3,670 yen for 1.5 hours
Tokyo to/from Nagoya 2,800 yen for 1 hour 10 minutes
Nagoya to/from Shin-Osaka 2,180 yen for 21 minutes
Nagoya to/from Kyoto 1,510 yen for 21 minutes

It is hard to say that you can accept this trade off. You cannot purchase a ticket at the station and must purchase day before. These conditions may be considerable for you.

I am glad if this post gave you some idea to build your trip plan.

Comments

  1. Phoebus says:
    May 17, 2017 at 10:39 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    what is better/best to use, Kansai or Kintetsu pass when we roam around Osaka-Kyoto-Nara, (both to use local trains/subway/bus?)

    also when is the best time to buy the pass? we will be there arriving in nagoya early morning this coming Monday of May 22. Is it available online or there is a booth at Chubu Airport where we can purchase it?

    Thank you!

  2. Chan says:
    May 15, 2017 at 11:39 pm

    Hi,

    I’ll be travelling into Osaka (Kansai Airport) on the 31st May 2017, 3 nights stay in 4 – 4 3 F 302, Ōsaka ichi, Ōsakafu 556 – 0011, Japan, planning to go to USJ on the 1st June, and travel within Osaka for 2nd of June.
    Leaving Osaka to Kyoto on the 3rd June (3 nights in Kyoto) to 15-13 Haraigawacho, Fukakusa, Fushimi-ku, Kyōto-shi.
    Last leg will be Kyoto to Tokyo (6th June – 10 June), flying off from Haneda Airport.
    Is it advisable to get Platt Kodama ticket (Osaka to Kyoto and Kyoto to Tokyo) from Kansai Airport the moment I land (around 4pm evening), then use single fare tickets in Osaka itself? Is there any other deals that I can consider to cover my city transport fees (3 days in Osaka, 3 days in Kyoto (only daily bus pass available?) and 4 days in Tokyo).

    thank you.

  3. Phoebus says:
    May 12, 2017 at 8:05 pm

    Hi Takeshi!

    So glad to get bumped here in your site. We tried to search all possible ticketing ways for our Japan trip next week but the more we ask, the more we get confused. I believe you can help us?

    so this is our itinerary:
    May 22 – (we’ll arrive around past 5am) Nagoya – Chubu airport. from there we’ll go to Osaka to check in. (our hotel from 22 to 26th morning is somewhere in Nagaranishi, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka.)
    May 23 – Universal Studios Japan
    May 24 – From Osaka we go city tour at Kyoto then return to Osaka
    May 25 – From Osaka we go city tour at Nara then return to Osaka
    May 26 – From Osaka we go to Nagoya for city tour all day (our hotel from 26 to 29th morning is somewhere in Uedayama, Nagoya-shi, Aichi-ken)
    May 27 – Stay in Nagoya and go to Nagashima Spa Land
    May 28 – Stay in Nagoya, continue to city tour on daytime and in the evening we leave Japan.

    from this schedule we have, can you suggest us the best city train/bus/subway passes for us to roam the areas where possibly we can save our budget as well? also as we arrive in Chibu airport in the morning, are the passes you will suggest be available within the airport? this is going to be our first time in Japan. Your suggestion is going to be a big big help for us! i hope you consider to answer this (long) query.

    Thank you very very much and more power to you!!

  4. Annie Dizon says:
    May 4, 2017 at 6:27 am

    We will be arriving tokyo may 19 then transfer to osaka may 22. If we use kodama for transfer to osaka, where can we purchase the tickets? We are going to stay in hyatt regency tokyo. Thanks

  5. sunnyraindrop says:
    May 2, 2017 at 12:07 am

    Hi, is there any way I can get someone to buy the ticket for me and I collect at the window? Or is there a way I can buy at the tourist offices outside of Japan? Thanks!

  6. Sara says:
    March 28, 2017 at 10:45 pm

    Can I purchase ticket Hamamatsu-Tokyo from Shin-Osaka station??

    I will arrive in Osaka Saturday morning, and at night I will go to Hamamatsu (Shizuoka) by bus.
    On Sunday, I will go to Tokyo from Hamamatsu.

  7. jeffrey says:
    March 28, 2017 at 12:15 am

    hi,

    i will be arriving at nagoya station at around 9:30pm. Will I still be able to purchase a platt kodama ticket going to kyoto for the next day?

  8. Ana says:
    March 21, 2017 at 10:57 am

    Hi,
    I would kindly ask few things;

    1) For Platt Kodama tickets – yo have to buy them exactly the day before the trip or you can buy them few days earlier?
    2) Platt Kodama – bearing in mind the number of tickets for sale is limited – I am affraid there will not be enought tickets? Could that happen? I need 2 tickets for Tokyo-Osaka in April.
    3) With Platt Kodama ticket – I can take only Kodama trains, right? (Nozomi and Hikari are also included for the same price or no?) It is not clear in the timetable on their site (trains are called: No. 641 – N700 series; and I don’t understand which train is that
    4) Tokyo-Osaka ticket price with Platt Kodama is 10,500 JPY
    in April?

    Thank you,
    Ana

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      March 21, 2017 at 4:56 pm

      Hi Ana,

      1. You can buy it anytime until one day before departure date.

      2. It may happen. I have no idea how often it happen.

      3. Nozomi and Hikari are not covered. All trains which are shown in the link below are covered by Platt Kodama.
      http://www.jrtours.co.jp/kodama/en/?scid=jtt_kepEng001

      These all trains are Kodama. N700 series is a type of fleet. It’s newer than other fleets. But you may not find the difference between N700 and others.

      4. That’s right.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  9. Marie says:
    March 16, 2017 at 4:51 am

    Hi,

    only to be sure: I can buy a ticket for the Platt Kodama at Shin-Osaka station to ride the train from Osaka to Tokyo, right? At which station will I arrive in Tokyo?

    Thank you 🙂
    Marie

  10. Calvin Liew says:
    March 5, 2017 at 2:47 am

    Can I purchase the nozomi shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Nagoya online?

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